The next stage was the scariest part. The embassy.

This place in our country is famous for being one of the most rejection-prone of all. I don't know why. Whether it's just a rumor or the truth, it doesn't matter.

Of course, I read tons of articles on how to behave in front of the consul, what documents to bring, what to say, how to answer, what to show, and what not to show.

Tip #3: Bring everything! It's better if you don't end up needing it than for the consul to ask for it and you not having it.

But in the spirit of a blog about a hapless traveler, of course, something had to happen here too. For example, I couldn't even imagine that you aren't allowed to enter with a phone. I thought, well, I'll just turn it off, put it away, and forget about it. But no. I took my phone out to quickly tell my family the happy or sad news, and the guards wouldn't let me in with it. You get what Tip #4 is, right? The funniest thing is that I didn't even have money in my account to call my mom. Luckily, there was some guy nearby, I called from his phone, my mom flew back in an instant, took the phone and the passport cover (!). Yes, they won't let you in with that either.

But despite all the nerves at the entrance, everything was easier afterward. A long entry process, lots of waiting. Of course, a lot of nerves inside that you just can't shake off, but the interview itself went quite easily and naturally. The consul seemed like a nice person. Maybe I got lucky, or maybe my documents were actually all in order. I don't know.

In any case, I walked out of the embassy, and as I walked further away to where I could catch a taxi, I cried with happiness.